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Under the Weather

Wednesday, March 08, 2006

For the past few days, I've been waking up feeling a bit ill. I will feel a dull but annoying burning sensation in my stomach as well as some minor heartburn. I know it's due to gallstones. I found out last December. Since the last few weeks of my pregnancy, I've experienced several major attacks that have rendered me useless. Yes, useless. I wouldn't be able to do a thing aside from curling up into a ball or pacing back and forth, hoping that the pain in my chest and in my back wouldn't last 4 hours. Apparently, gallstones are quite common in women who have been pregnant. When I went in for my ultrasound to determine the cause of my pain, the childless nurse made an interesting comment: Pregnancy seems to be rather unhealthy, doesn't it?

I thought about that for a moment, pondered about my own personal experience and made a mental list of arguments in favour of that theory.

#4. During labour, you get a huge needle jammed into your spine while trying to stay still amid excruciating contractions. Check that, I had two epidurals. The first one missed. We'll make that point #5.

#6. Your body tears, requiring stitches.

This list could go on but #6 is a strong enough point on its own.

So now I have to add to this list the incapacitating pain of gallstones. Unlike supermoms who go to work regardless of feeling like they've been hit by a Mack truck, I am quite content with doing nothing. I'd rather curl up under a blanket on the sofa in my pj's with my messy hair and just vegetate. I am certainly not looking forward to the return of my "monthly visitor", that's for sure.

I'm going under the knife, and the laparascope, in about two months time. Until then, I need to avoid raw veggies, corn, beans, fruit with the skin left on, coffee, spicy foods and fatty foods.

People keep asking me when I plan to have another kid. I think they should ask me again after my surgery!

About me

Diana is a mother of two children and works as an elementary French teacher in Toronto, Ontario. Launched in 2006, her blog Toronto Teacher Mom features articles on her family's adventures as well as reviews on the latest and greatest. When she isn't busy blogging, cleaning or playing with the kids, you can find her standing on her head, riding a bike or sharing crafts on dianasdesigns.ca.